REVIEW #1: 80/100

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Maluma is a once in a lifetime artist. Achieving massive success right from the minute he debuted, he’s an artist who has had the world at the edge of their seats waiting for his sophomore release. We saw a glimpse of that with the release of God Complex, one of the best selling singles of all time that marked a massive leap for Maluma, and then with the release of the true lead single for his second album, Obsessions With The Dark. Now, his Maniac follow-up titled Overnight Apathy has finally been released after what feels like an eternity of anticipation.

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The album starts off with Fata Morgana (CAP I, Augury), seemingly as the introduction to the album. Production wise, the track provides an incredibly atmospheric introduction to the album and sets the soundscape incredibly well. The lyrics, while not the most impressive, work well too although i’m not the biggest fan of the distorted vocal effects. We quickly move to the title track Overnight Apathy and, completely honestly, i’m not 100% clear on the track. Mostly in the chorus, where the violent description of a bleeding heart is contrasted by the very idea of apathy which, being a very distinct lack of interest or concern, is very polarising but not in a way that feels intentional? Outside of that, the track is really solid. Again, the production is the obvious highlight but the lyrics also have some real standout moments!

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The next track is Good Intentions which is much more trap influenced than the previous track, making for a nice bit of variety! That the track is a little repetitive production wise, but I think this might be my favourite song lyrically yet. The first line or two really don’t work, but thankfully it’s not in the middle of the song to throw you off. “Dried up lavender, yeah, that’s your signature” especially is a really clever and thought out reference to Maluma’s relationship with Belinda. Rubicon comes in next and is really the only thing I could consider a miss on the album so far. The metaphor of rubicon feels very forced honestly and not very clear in the context of the song. The idea of this “game” is nice but is dragged down by an obscure piquet reference. The production saves it a bit here, it feels quite fresh and doesn’t get stale. Plus, it’s got a really nice melody that’s insanely catchy!

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Demons In The Night starts off with a Madonna spoken word intro which actually fits nicely into the song. I don’t really have a ton to say about this, it feels very much like an album track. It’s perfectly good, just doesn’t really stick out or do anything different. I think it could’ve really excelled if it went somewhere but it doesn’t have any real structure. The intro and the first verse really set the song off nicely though and it doesn’t necessarily trail off, although I would’ve loved to see it elevate from there. Next we have After The Madness which is an absolute highlight so far! Outside of one or two lines (The lines about drugs and girls feel a bit out of place), the whole thing is really strongly written and especially in the verses. The production is, again, an absolute highlight and really takes the album somewhere new. 

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Moving onto the smash hit God Complex that, although not originally intended for the album, is undeniably one of the album’s peaks. One of the really prominent things in this album is the constant religious references that get a bit predictable as you go in, but this track really delves into this imagery in a way that creates a fresh interest and sets it apart from the album. Every line is flawlessly crafted, and that’s not even mentioning the immaculate instrumental that deviates from some of the previous tracks but in a way that still feels fitting in the project as a whole. There’s a reason this track has seen the success it has, it’s as near flawless as you’ll get. Getting onto Fata Morgana (CAP II, Regret), i’m not completely sure what the purpose of this one is. It’s only a short interlude so it’s not a massive deal, but it doesn’t feel like it’s needed as much as the previous introduction track. That said, it seamlessly transitions into It’s All Love (In The End). Production wise, although it doesn’t particularly go anywhere, it doesn’t really need to as it provides a nice switch from the last two tracks. However, as we get to the back end of the album, it definitely feels like it’s a bit lost with some of the earlier tracks on the album and they blend together. The tracklisting is a massive help here, but it’s definitely noticeable. The Spanish outro and Jessie J harmonies are nice additions though!

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In Memoriam is up next and, lyrically, I think it might be my least favourite yet. There’s very little going on here that’s different from anything else on the album and doesn’t have many real highlights to come back from that. The chorus is easily the closest thing to this, but the verses don’t hold up the same way. That said, the production value is easily some of the best on the entire album! It’s one of the catchiest, most powerful on the album and sets itself apart wonderfully, something a lot of the other tracks struggle to do. Hit material right here! In what could be considered one of this year’s greatest singles, Obsessions With The Dark follows up and is still as breathtaking as when we first heard it. The production is impeccable, the lyrics are raw and honest, it’s absolutely a standout in not just the album but Maluma’s career as a whole. The entire thing feels like an event from beginning to end and is difficult to fault. The standards set by this track were sky high and it’s clear to see why!

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Nearing the end of the tracklist, we reach Omen which, again, may be one of the weaker cuts on the album. It’s not bad by any means, but it just doesn’t do anything we haven’t seen before already on the album. Coupled with some solid but repetitive lyricism, it just doesn’t do anything to stand out against the rest of the album. Following something like Obsessions, it just gets completely overshadowed. That said, it’s still incredibly catchy! Masochist on the other hand actually feels surprisingly fresh. Lyrically, the whole thing follows the same themes in the album but feels more like a plea than any of the rest and flows well with simplistic yet effective lines. While not as powerful production wise as something like In Memoriam or Obsessions, it’s still interesting and engaging as a closing track. That would be, if it wasn’t for Hypnotised as the Encore exclusive track! I can see why this was put here because it’s probably the weakest so far. Lyrically and production wise, it just feels so similar to previous tracks and doesn’t really set itself apart in any way. Still, it’s still a solid track and it being the worst just proves the strength of the rest of the album!

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Overnight Apathy has all the makings of a flawless masterpiece. Obsessions, After The Madness, God Complex and Masochist all sound like the pieces of an immensely acclaimed body of work, up there with some of the best. I think the biggest problem with the album is that, even after a number of listens, a lot of the tracks still blend together. Outside of some of the highlights, if you played me a verse from some of these tracks I don’t think I could tell you which one was from which. Individually, most tracks are really great but bringing them together doesn’t enhance them so much as boost a few unique tracks and leave the rest behind in a bit of a blur. There’s no way to call this a bad album, because it’s far from it! It’s an album with immense potential to create something great going forward with a few more expanded ideas and sounds. Still, the album is an incredibly cohesive piece of work with easily some of the highlights of the year and a massive step in the right direction for Maluma.

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REVIEW #2: 60/100

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It’s not every day that you get to experience the roll out of an album as highly anticipated as Overnight Apathy. Maluma, one of the biggest artists working today, has had the world in the palm of his hand since the release of his blockbuster debut album two years ago and has since gone on to smash records left, right, and center. This album has been in the conversation for quite some time with various supposed leaks, rumors, and theories popping out about it since Maluma initially indicated the album was in production. The wait felt like an eternity for his fanbase but the moment has finally arrived. However, it’s not the effortless homerun that many hoped and indeed expected. 

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The album opens with “Fata Morgana (Cap I, Augury)”. The song acts as an intro track that does a good enough job of establishing what the album is going to be like. Production wise, this a desne and dreamy foot to start things out on. But it does preview a recurring issue with the album: weak lyricism. Though it is an intro and isn’t meant to be taken as a whole song, the words that are presented here don’t sound particularly polished and often somewhat choppy. It’s also difficult to understand Maluma as his voice is hidden by a thick robotic voice modulator. Seeing as it’s just an intro, it doesn’t really detract anything from the album, but as noted it does forecast some of the issues that will pop up as it unfolds. The album’s title track, “Oveernight Apathy”, follows and it’s one of the stronger cuts from the project. The production work is tight and continues the dense 80s inspired synthpop sound and vibe that the album carries. The first half of the song is far stronger than the outro where the production transforms into a trap beat that is growing ever more tired as that genre’s lifespan goes on. It’s not there long enough to be a true nuisance, but it’s disappointing that it ended on that. Lyrically the song is more consistent than many tracks, with some genuinely standout lines (the second verse in particular) but he does lean into cliches in other parts of the song. Lines like “Know my love is true”, “‘Cause you don’t care, you never cared”, and “you were my light, you were my dark” have been used in some form or another for decades and while they still create a picture, they don’t create a particularly unique one. Even still, it’s a solid addition and a worthy title track.. 

“Good Intentions” starts well but quickly loses it’s way as the song unfolds. The synth line on the song is one of the strongest on the album but it’s quickly wasted by a boring trap beat. The song doesn’t go anywhere production wise leaving it feeling rather muted and one note. The song’s melody is choppy and monotone as well which does nothing to distract from the production. Lyrically the song has good ideas but poor execution. The opening line “Got some bitches and cocaine” doesn’t come off as cool or dark as much as it comes off as trying too hard to raise eyebrows, and from there the song alternates between more cliches about toxic love. It’s by far one of the weakest additions to the album and to be placed so early, it damages momentum. 

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“Rubicon” regretfully doesn’t send the album back up just yet. The song, a collaboration with Madonna, has been one of the most anticipated songs from the album but it fails to connect. The song’s primary issue lyrically is that it’s central metaphor doesn’t make much sense. A rubicon is when somebody wins a certain card game and the opponent loses with a score below 100 so all of the loser's points are added to the winner’s total, thus making one party completely dominant over the other. In context of the song, it’s made abundantly clear that both parties are “hurting the same way” and taking swipes back and forth at one another, namely cheating on each other. And on the surface it seems like a good metaphor with the phrase “no rubicon” but going deeper it’s worth nothing that there is still a winner, rubicon or not. The pieces are there for a really solid idea but it's done rather sloppily and feels like a bit of a reach. It begs the question of whether or not the meaning of the central phrase was discussed for anything more than being a catchy title as it doesn’t appear the writers totally understand what the main phrase actually means. Elsewhere, the song makes the same mistakes as others, offering underpolished and choppy lyrics (“Hold on, I know I hurt you/But if I’m being honest/You did the same to me last week” is perhaps the most awkwardly worded). The production is overall pretty boring, not offering anything that stands out as unique or interesting, sort of fading into the grander picture of the album, not sticking out on it’s own at all. “Demons In the Night” is a step back in the right direction, though not quite a confident leap forward. Melodically it should be noted that the song shares some similarities with the lead single which is an interesting choice if it was intentional as it builds a sort of connection between the two songs that would be somewhat interesting to explore. However, this intriguing idea is let down by the inconsistent lyricsm. The song has a wonderful final section where Maluma gets candid and discusses his pain and how much he misses his family, but to get there we wade through disconnected religious references that leave the meaning and intention somewhat fuzzy. Similarly to how Brendon Urie and Ariana Grande have approached the use of religious imagery, it feels as if it’s there to be there rather than holding any significance to the meaning of the song. But that last verse is where everything does come together and paints a vivid and emotionally devastating picture. Production wise the song is boring, sort of going around in circles and never truly finding a meanifull direction to go with it’s sound. It’s a diamond in the rough of a song as the ideas and intentions here are quite interesting, but it could’ve used some twearking to really refinie and make it as solid and focused as possible. 

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“After the Madness” is another step forward quality wise as, for the first time on the album, we get a song that has a clear and fleshed out intention. The song deals with Maluma pleading to a lover that, when the darkness has passed and the wild ride settles down, what was broken can be repaired. It’s clear he’s facing down his recent divorce head on and it’s as fulfilling as it is surprising to see him take it on. Lyrically the song is quite solid with only a few scattered lines not rounding off well. However, the production does hold the song back some as it’s again lacking in identity. Metro Boomin’s guidance has not been fruitful for the album so far and it continues to leave the production side of things feeling aimless and in need of a place to get to. “God Complex” the monstrous hit that served as the main song for the 24th James Bond film “No Time to Die”. The song is true to the Bond spirit, offering one of the most complete and unique additions to the cannon in quite some time. The song’s production is tight and polished, making use of the things that make a Bond song a Bond song (and a fantastic guitar solo for good measure). Lyrically the song is also quite polished, making strong use of it’s metaphors and painting a vivid picture. In context of the album, it’s a major leap in the songwriting department and everything clicks the way that it really needs to. 

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The next track is the interlude “Fat Morgana (Cap II, Regret)” which is very much cut from the same cloth as the opening. Since it’s so brief, it again can’t really be taken on the same level as the proper songs but for what it is, it’s solid enough. The robotic vocal filtering is still not a great choice and the lyrics, what of them there are, repeat things that’ve been said already so it doesn’t stand out but an interlude is an interlude does and for what it does, it’s fine. “It’s All Love (In the End)” is another thankfully focused track that, while not being outstanding, is one of the more successful inclusions here. The song’s lyrics are solid but it must be noted how it feels like everything in it’s been said already. We’ve come back to the same subject matter again and again and while this is by far the most focused version of it, it’s still a bit disappointing to have such little variety. Still, what we get is a man who’s clearly lovelorn and it leaves the song feel quite honest, more present, and more connected than elsewhere on the album. The production for most of the song isn’t anything special, but it’s final minute or so is really quite interesting. The song transforms from a basic “we’ve heard this before” beat to an atmospheric and brooding style that sees Maluma talking in his native tongue and even a Jessie J cameo (yes, it’s not really explained, but yes). That final minute alone makes it worthwhile. 

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What “In Memoriam” lacks in compelling lyricism, it makes up for in great production. Daft Punk took the reins on this one and their signature style injects life into the song. It’s an upbeat, danceable, and infectious sonic creation that stands as one of the best production moments of the project. However, the lyrics don’t carry this energy. The song is once again repetitive of the rest of the album, offering absolutely nothing different from everything we’ve gotten so far. He’s essentially written about the same thing ten times by now and it leaves a lot of these songs, like this one, bleeding into each other and losing indentity. The production keeps it firmly afloat, but the lyrics still threaten to sink it. “Obsessions with the Dark” stands head and shoulders above the rest of the album as the best track on the project. It was the perfect lead single choice as it really takes all of the best elements of the album and combines them together. Lyrically, the song again hits the same subjects but it manages to do it in a quite fresh way. It doesn’t feel as if we’re getting a copy and paste job, but that we’re coming at an issue from another point of view and it’s a welcome breath of fresh air ino the album. The melody is also the best on the album, showing off the finest vocals Maluma’s given us yet. The production is also absolutely stunning. Brooding and atmospheric but not heavily dark or suffocating. It’s a beautiful track and testament to what the whole album could’ve been with this sort of razor sharp focus. “Omen” is a step down but not down to the level of the weakest tracks. The production work is decent, carrying a killer synth but a devestatingly boring beat. And it’s worth noting that the beat and synth are really the only things present, leaving the song feeling somewhat empty. The melody is solid, if familiar and a bit derivative of other album cuts, with the chorus in particular being catchy. Again though, the lyrics fail to excite, hitting the same ground we’ve been walking on and saying absolutely nothing new or different. It lands decently well but the potential for something more notable is clearly hiding under the surface. “Masochist” closes out the standard version of the album and it unfortunately does so on the weaker end of the spectrum. The song falls into the same traps that the other weak links did and that’s offer production that feels like it sits on a loop, lyrics that keep returning to the same ideas and concepts over and over again, and a monotonous tone that doesn’t provide anything memorable. It’s competently made, but it doesn’t feel as if it was made with interest and it closes the album (we’ll count it as the closer as the bonus track is tacked on addition and while it’s fine, it’s clearly not a part of the album’s vision as a bonus track) with a bit of a stumble. 

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Overnight Apathy is acceptable but highly unremarkable. Billed and hyped as something of a game changer, as the big magnum opus of an artist who’s on top of the world, it falls quite short of that goal. The album is grandiose, make no mistake, but it’s also hollow. For all the theatrics and cinematic inclusions, there’s not much life behind the eyes. Production wise the songs lack identity from one another save for a few notable standouts, and it’s hard to tell them all apart from one another. It’s not consistent as much as it is tricks getting reused. Lyrically the album is mostly focused on the same thing spread throughout 13 songs. We never divert to anything other than bad love and while it’s clear it was on his mind, it doesn’t make for a varied and interesting listening experience. Where Maluma does go right with the album is going big. Even if there’s not much substance, it’s style is commendable. It feels big and feels as if there was effort made to make this feel more like an album than a singles collection which is a trap many artist find themselves falling into. But to be big in this case is to take no risks. The album is safe, the album is predictable, and while it sounds different from Maniac, it doesn’t sound like an evolution of Maniac. He’s still well within his comfort zone and it’s not as successful this go around. Taken on it’s own merits, it’s decently good enough for a few replays. But taken in context of what it’s been hyped for so long to be, it’s disappointing to say the least. It’s not bad, it’s something a bit more crushing...underwhelming.

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REVIEW #3: 95/100

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Following up his Goliath of a debut album, ‘Maniac’, streaming superstar and Latino recording artist Maluma has dropped his sophomore studio album. Starting with the release of the Bond soundtrack super-success ‘God Complex’, followed by the surprise drop of ‘Obsessions with the Dark’, Maluma has made a mark in the past several months preparing fans for his album ‘Overnight Apathy’. Now released, it’s time to take a dive into the highly awaited record and see whether or not the singer lived up to high expectations. 

 

To begin the album is the opening interlude, ‘Fata Morgana (Cap I, Augury)’, which utilizes a vocal synthesizer on Maluma’s voice to accompany the hypnotic electro production. Slow yet motivated, the strong bass build accompanies the progressing soundscape which the interludes builds. Kicking off the album on a unique note, Maluma shows he has artistically evolved with the first track.

 

The title track, ‘Overnight Apathy’, continues the same electronic R&B direction of the album while clearly starting the album with Maluma’s sultry and recognizable vocals. Reminding his lover how he did whatever it took, always being there for her, the singer provides a sense of raw emotion that has yet to be seen in his discography. Accompanied by creative production to create a more experimental song structure, the song breaks down in the outdo with a dance takeover. A creative highlight for Maluma, the title track makes a clear distinction that ‘Overnight Apathy’ is a far more matured and artistically project for the hitmaker.

 

Keeping the album consistent, yet touching on Maluma’s recognizable trap style, ‘Good Intentions’ provides listeners with the more upbeat, commercial-friendly track needed to maintain the record’s public appeal. Expressing the end result of his breakup with Zendaya in the most honest word’s possible, lines like “You got ice where your heart's supposed to be” show the singer’s feelings in a very direct way, one to easily resonate with listeners from a first spin.

 

Featuring Madonna, ‘Rubicon’ utilizes a slightly tropical rhyme undertone that appears to pay homage to Maluma’s Latin music past. Singing in a much lighter, quieter way, ‘Rubicon’ seems to take a step back from the extremely upbeat ‘Good Intentions’. Telling the tale of a toxic-yet-addictive relationship, the track marks an important steps away from reliance on production and towards clear lyrical mastery. While a bit slow for my personal taste, the song’s execution and writing is flawless, and in many ways it is also seemingly effortless for Maluma.

 

Next, ‘Demon in the Night’ opens with a prayer to the Virgin Mary by Madonna, confessing  her sins before the beat hits off. An iconic opening that seems to be in a very truly Madonna fashion,  In many ways, the song is an important progression point for the record, both lyrically and sonically. Admitting his inner “demons” in a somewhat literal way, the singer dwells on his feelings of blame. Lyrically the song feels as though Maluma is frequently talking to himself, topped off with a beat that creates an aura around the song.

 

‘After the Madness’ resurrects the album in a triumphant way, Maluma let’s go off his past troubles and promises to “be a better man”. Sonically, ‘After the Madness’ is toned down from the first few tracks of the album, but the slow build by the track allows listeners to focus on the telling lyrics, which help the singer to move on with his life. The breakdowns after the chorus in the production also marks a strong point in the memorizing track, setting up listeners for ‘God Complex’ to follow.

 

Accompanied by Brendon Urie and Zayn, ‘God Complex’ is the epic single that it is known to be. With a guitar opening that has previously been unseen on the album, Zayn singing “Heaven's gates are open” leaves listeners to feel as though ‘Overnight Apathy’ has entered its Mount Olympus phase. The catchy chorus, uplifted by vocal harmonizing by the Grammy-nominated KYLIE, ‘God Complex’ is the masterpiece that started this iconic era of Malum’s career. Elevated by the iconic guitar solo outro, the song leads straight into the album’s second interlude.

 

‘Fata Morgana (Cap II, Regret)’ begins the second half of the stellar sophomore album. Repeating the intro track’s synthesized vocal structure, the followup interlude guides listeners with the progression of Maluma’s emotions and leads perfectly into ‘It’s All Love (In the End)’. Offering listeners with a more upbeat, danceable production, ‘It’s All Love (In the End)’ continues the well-developed and cohesive sound of the record. In contrast with the other tracks, the song is certainly a safer, pop choice for the somewhat boundary-pushing album. But in all respects, it serves it’s purpose of giving listeners that easily recognizable future single.

 

‘In Memoriam’ revives the album’s artistic appeal with its electronic synths matching the quick rhyme of the track. Leaving his love behind him, Maluma offers his final words about the ending of his relationship with Zendaya. With notably impressive production, the song is also interestingly one of the longer songs on the record. Nevertheless, Maluma does not overdo it, keeping listeners intrigued and captivated by the combination of his spectacular electronic beat and emotional lyrics.

 

The surprise “lead single” of the album, ‘Obsessions with the Dark’ is one of the album’s poppier songs, making clear why it was chosen as a single. Nonetheless, it offers listeners with story-telling verses that clarify Maluma’s commitment to his lover regardless of their situation. While perhaps not the peak of the record, ‘Obsessions’ does not let listeners down. By all regards, the song offers a continuation of the carefully executed production and emotionally raw lyricism of ‘Overnight Apathy’.

 

‘Omen’ takes a step towards electronic/dance music in a way that offers a bit of a surprise in the final moments of Maluma’s sophomore studio album. Apologizing for not reading the writing on the walls of their relationship, Maluma opens up in the song overtop of the electro horns in a unique and experimental step. ‘Omen’ in many ways wraps up the album in a way that it needs to, by turning a new page with an pleading “sorry”, something Maluma executes perfectly.

 

To finish off the standard edition of the album, ‘Masochist’ gives a synth-pop ending to the marvelous album. Ending on a high note, the mesmerizing production matches perfectly with Maluma’s vocal style, making for an ear worm of a song. ‘Masochist’ allows Maluma to finally take a step away from his past struggles in a beautiful way. 

 

‘Overnight Apathy’, overall, offers a raw and poetic look into the romantic life of Maluma, from the very public and ugly breakup he had with Belinda to the recent ending of his long term relationship with Zendaya. Admitting his own faults and shortcomings, the honesty of the album provokes listeners and generates genuine feelings throughout. By every way imaginable, ‘Overnight Apathy’ has not only topped Maluma’s debut album, ‘Maniac’, but also set the bar high for the music industry at-large.

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REVIEW #3: 60/100

Overnight Apathy is the second studio album by Maluma, following the smash hit debut era Maniac. As with any follow-up release by a major star, all eyes are on Maluma to deliver an amazing record, especially with the big hype that has been pumped into the release by Maluma himself. Not to mention the long gap between the releases of 'Maniac' and 'Overnight Apathy' itself. Unfortunately despite the promise that we were in for something incredibly special, Overnight Apathy is mostly a lukewarm album. Even if you look past the expectations set by Maluma himself as well as the huge following he has built up over the past few years there just isn't loads to talk about here.

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That's not to say that it's all bad though as that is not the case at ALL. For starters, the visuals are really impressive and help to create an overall atmosphere that suits the tone of the record and era as a whole. Also there is a change in sound from Maniac to the more trap-inspired aesthetic and it fits Maluma very nicely and it is a welcome transformation from the last album. The new sound also compliments the subject matter that runs through Overnight Apathy very well.

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The album opens strongly, with the previously released opener Fata Morgana (Cap I, Augury) which transitions really well into the title track, which honestly is a highlight of the whole project and is probably my favorite. As the first full length track it is quite striking because we're seeing a different side of Maluma opening up to more personal details, and that in itself is already a progression from Maniac which is kind of juvenile in comparison. Other stronger points of the album include the single Obsessions With The Dark and In Memoriam.

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However the biggest criticism I have for this album is how samey it all is. Every single track is about a relationship gone bad, with very little developments or variation between each one to the point that I believe it would be difficult to notice a difference between most tracks if you just switched a couple of verses between them. Maniac had a similar problem, but with completely different subject matters, and I'm sorry to say that it seems to suggest that Maluma can't make the distinction between an album that is cohesive and an album that repeats itself over and over and over again.

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In addition to that, Overnight Apathy attempts to make a few swings that just miss. Take for example the song Rubicon with Madonna. Rubicon has been hyped up a lot prior to this release, but it is built around a metaphor that doesn't make any sense, and even the creator of the song doesn't seem to understand. So how are we meant to? Also the whole Weeknd vibe of many of the lyrics don't land in the way that I feel was intended and often feels like The Weeknd cosplay rather than original ideas. The song Good Intentions for example about ex-wife and mother of hid child Belinda, is a good example of this and even comes off as kinda sexist. "Got some bitches and cocaine"... really? It also seems to take aim at Belinda's sex life with one of the main hooks of the song being "body count high, you know it's true". Maybe this is meant to be a 'character' or something like that and if it is then it's not made clear or apparent at all. One of the main selling points of this new album is supposed to be Maluma diving into personal issues for the first time, and he is singing about a real and very public relationship. So something's got to give and its quite ironic coming from an artist who has relied so much on sex in the past.

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Overall, the album is just quite under-baked. Maluma seems to have placed style over substance, despite selling it as a personal release. And don't get me wrong, that style is effective mostly, although the amount it "borrows" from The Weeknd can be difficult to look passed. That's not to say that there aren't strong lyrical inclusions, and it certainly does feel like an overall experience, its just one that is a bit stagnant along the way with little variations in sound or lyrical contents. At a time when a lot of artists are making strong records some with bold artistic statements, I fear that Maluma is getting lost in the shuffle. Sadly, Overnight Apathy is a reminder that even the biggest superstars aren't immune to making missteps if they buy into their own hype enough.

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